Diving apparatus



A. E. CHISHOLM.

DIVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2. 19I9.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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DIVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed tlctober 2, 1919. Serial No. 327,875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER HOLM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Diving Bipparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in diving apparatus, particularly well adapted for use in deep sea diving, but not necessarily restricted to this use.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which is adapted to be suspended and lowered from a ship or barge, in such a manner that the apparatus will not partake of improper turning movement, and will be shifted in accordance with the movements of the ship or barge.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and eiiicient holding or grappling means, easily operated from the interior of the casing of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above mentioned character, which is very strong, and is therefore adapted to withstand high pressure, without liability o1 collapsin Other objects and advantages oi the invention will be apparent during the course oi the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same,

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the apparatus,

Fig. 4 is a detail section through the hold in or grappling means,

ig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation. of a spring washer,

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal section through a slightly different form of yielding means for the holding device.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose or illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral. 10 designates a preferably cylindrical casing, which is suitably thick to withstand high pressure without collapsin The casing 10 maybe formed of iron, steel, or the like, and it may be corrugatec, ii desired. The casing 10 has a substantial length, and its lower end is *losed by a base or bottom 11 preferably inthe form oi a heavy plate, provided with a flange 12, projecting into the casing, and secured thereto by bolts or rivets. The outer portion or edge out the bottom 12 is in the form of an annular flange 14, extending; radially beyond the casing 10, for a substantial distance, shown.

A reinforcing ring 15 is arranged upon the upper end of the casing 10, and extends radially beyond the same, for a substantial distance. The ring 15 carries a de pending flange 16, projecting into the casing 10, and secured thereto by bolts or rivetsll'. lit is obvious that the ring 15 and the bottom 11 serve to reinforce and stiffen the ends of the casing 10, and reinforcing rings 18 may be arranged within the casing 16, near its central portion, and rigidly secured thereto. These rings may be in any suitable shape in cross section.

The numeral 19 designates a top or cover for the casing, preferably in the form of a conical plate-like structure as shown in the drawing, adaptedto engage upon the ring 15, and having an inner flange 20, to fit therein. The'top or cover 19 is hinged to the ring 15, at 21. This cover is provided near its periphery with radial slots 22, receiving swinging clamping bolts 23, operat ing through slots 2% in the ring 15, and pivotally connected therewith, beneath the same, as shown at 25. It is obvious that when the nuts 26 of the bolts 23 are suitably unscrewed, these bolts may be swung clownwarely to the inactive position and the cover 19 swung upwardly to the open position.

The suspending means for the apparatus preferably comprises a pair of diametrically oppositely arranged flexible elements 27, which may be cables or the like. The lower ends or" this pair of cables are attached to the flange l i, as shown, while the cables pass through apertures 28, in the ring 15. These cables extend upwardly and are wound upon a drum or other hoisting mechanism carried by the ship or barge, for suspending the apparatus, or raising and lowering it, or shifting the same with the movement of the ship or barge. The arrangement of the cables is important inasmuch as it prevents the easing turning upon its longitudinal axis.

The numeral 29 designates a preferably opening 31.

40, within the conical portion e l, as clearly shown in Fig.

conical operating housing, increasing in diameter rearwardly, and bolted, at 30, to the casing 10, and surrounding an opening 31 in this casin At its forward or outer end, the housing 29 is provided with a flange 30, and central A gasket ring 32, is bolted to the flange 30, as shown at and a packing ring 34L, is arranged between these elements, for efl'eeting a water tight joint. The gasket ring has a central opening 35, in registration with the opening 31.

The numeral 36 designates a flexible sleeve, preferably formed of rubber. This sleeve has an inner enlarged or conical portion 37, the outer edge oi which is clamped to the gasket ring 32, by a ring 38 and bolts 39, as shown.

The flexible sleeve 36 receives a guide sleeve l0, having stuiling boxes ll, the ends thereof. The flexible sleeve 36 has its outer end clamped to the guide sleeve l0 by a clamping ring 42.

The numeral 4C3 designates yielding supporting means, surrounding the guide sleeve 3? of the flexible sleeve 36, and contacting with the gasket ring This yielding iueans enrbodies a plurality of split spring washers As shown in Fig. 7, the yie ding supporting means is in the temp. of a 901i spring d5, whirh is conical, and decreases in diameter outwardly. This coil spring is arranged within a flexible sleeve similar to the sleeve 36, but having a slightly diilerent shape. The other parts of the apparatus or asso iated elements remain the same.

The numeral 46 designates the holding or grappling apparatus as a whole. This apparatus embodies an outer tube 417, slidable within the guide sleeve and bones d1, so that it may be shifted longitudinally and turned upon its longitudinal axis, it desired. 1 2i rod 48 is slidable within the outer tube 4:7 and also within stuiling boxes 4-9, carried by the ends or" this outer tube. its outer end, the rod 48 is provided with a laterally extending 50, preferably circular in cross section and having serrations 5i, upon its inner side. This jaw is adapted to be shifted toward and away or sidewise from a stationary aw 52, preterably senticir'ular in cross section, a d having its edges serrated, at 53. The jaw 52 is carried by a shank 5d, secured to clamp 55, rigidly attached to the outer tube 47. At its inner end, the rod 4-8 is bent laterally to form a hand grip 55', arranged near a coacting stationary hand grip 57, carried by a clamp 58, which is rigidly mounted upon the tube 47.

The numeral. 59. designates a sight openhi g housing, bolted to the casing 10, and

having its opening covered by a section of amount of air for the enables the operator to observe the object being grasped by the holding device.

T preferably provide a propeller 61, near the lower e d of the casing, and this proin a motor 62, within the This motor may receive current cables ext-ending from the ship or barge. 1 also contemplate the use oi": a teleno line between the apparatus and the rip.

In the use of the apparatus, the operator, enters the casing 10, by way of the open cover 19, which is subsequently closed and locked in the closed position. The casing 10 is suflici ntly large to hold proper use of the operator for a suita is time. The casing 16 is lowered into the water by the unwinding o the cables 2'7. When the casing is moved into proximity to the object to be colietted, the operator may telephone the ship or barge, and by suitable movement of the ship the casing may be brought suitably near the object, or'the casing may be shift ed by a propeller 61, so that it may be gr sped between the jaws 50 and 52. These are operated by the movement the i and rod -28, from the interior oi i explained. The operator may to the ship and the casing casi from iny invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims;

Having thus described my invention, l ClflllllZ- 1. in diving apparatus of the character described, a hollow cylindrical casing; means for permanently closing the lower end of said casing including a base plate having an upstanding flange projecting into and secured to said casing and an annular .nge extending dially beyond the easand provid d w inn b arranged diametrically opposite each other,

means for closing the upper end of said casthe open gs of said lower flange, a swing- 1ng top to hinged to said ring and hav- 0 mg a downwardly extendingannular flange 1th. a pair of openings v projecting into the interior of said ring l and means for securing said top plate to said ring; and a pair 01"- substantially diametrically oppositely arranged suspension elements extending through said openings and secured to the annular flange of said base plate, all as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In diving apparatus of the character described, a hollow cylindrical casing; means :tor permanently closing the lower and of said casing including a base plate having an upstanding flange projecting into and secured to said casing and an annular flange extending radially beyond the casing and provided with a pair of openings arranged diametrically opposite each other, means for closing the upper end of said casing including a ring having a downwardly ex tending annular flange projecting into and secured to said casing and an annular portion radially extending from said casing and having a pair of openings provided in said extending portion arranged diametrically opposite each other, a swinging top plate hinged to said ring and having a downwardly extending annular flange pro" jecting into the interior of said ring and means for securing said top plate to said ring; a plurality of reinforcing rings secured to the interior of said casing intermediate its ends, and a pair of substantially diametrically oppositely arranged suspension elements extending through said openings and secured. to the annular flange of said base plate, all as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a diving apparatus of the character described, a casing provided with a side opening, a flexible sleeve secured to said casing near the side opening, a guide sleeve extending through the flexible sleeve,means securing the guide sleeve to the flexible sleeve whereby the guide sleeve is carried by the flexible sleeve, and spring means for resiliently sustaining the flexible sleeve in supporting position.

4. In a diving apparatus of the character described, a casing provided with a side opening, a flexible sleeve having one end secured to the casing near the side opening, a guide sleeve extending through the flexible sleeve, a clamp securing the outer end of the flexible sleeve to the guide sleeve whereby the guide sleeve is supported by the flexible sleeve, and spring means for sus taining said flexible sleeve and supporting said sleeve.

ALEXANDER EBEN CHISHOLM. 

